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March 25

Pope calls faithful to implore Mary for the gift of peace

Rome, 25 (NE) At the end of Sunday's Eucharistic celebration in St. Peter's Square, during which he beatified five Servants of God, the Pope called to implore Blessed Mary for the gift of peace. Addressing pilgrims who came from diverse countries before the Angelus prayer, the Pope said that "We now turn to Mary Most Holy, whom the new Blesseds loved and venerated with special devotion. Let us implore her, above all at this time, for the gift of peace. To her we entrust in particular the victims of these hours of war and their family members who are suffering. I feel especially close to them in affection and prayer." During the Mass, the Pope beatified five servants of God: Pierre Bonhomme (1803-1916); Maria Dolores Rodriguez Sopena (1848-1918); Maria Caridad Brader (1860-1943); Juana Maria Condesa Lluch (1862-1916) and Laszlo Batthyany-Strattman (1870-1931).

Peace is the only way to build a more just and unified society, says Pope

Rome, 25 (NE) Last weekend, the Pope received the personnel of the Italian television station "Telepace" on the twenty-fifth anniversary of its founding. "Telepace," said the Pope, noting that the Italian word "pace" means peace, "wants to be a television of peace, of that peace which is a gift from God and a humble and constant achievement of man. When war, like that underway in Iraq, threatens the future of humanity, it is even more urgent to proclaim with a strong and decisive voice that peace is the only way to build a more just and unified society. Violence and arms can never resolve the problems of men. Your broadcast station has made this indispensable education of peace its objective from the beginning."

The Pope that during these 25 years, Telepace "has maintained its charism unaltered, free of economic pressure in order to serve God and man in the Church. Since 1985, in collaboration with the Vatican Television Center, it covers the apostolic trips of the Successor of Peter and transmits on a daily basis his word and his teaching to countless families in Italy, Europe and, since last year, in so many other nations on earth."

Telepace, he affirmed, invites its viewers toward solidarity, seeking concrete help for the needy: "It informs, educates on the faith, encourages hope, stimulates solidarity, spreads peace which is born from an encounter with Christ."

Iraqi Catholics thank spiritual closeness of Pope John Paul II

Rome, 25 (NE) Among the difficulties and sufferings of war, Iraqi Catholics expressed their gratitude to Pope John Paul II for the numerous expressions of his spiritual closeness. In an interview made by Vatican Radio to the Apostolic Nuncio in Baghdad, Archbishop Fernando Filoni, the Prelate also expressed that the situation of the Church in Iraq is still acceptable. The Nuncio informed that he had told faithful that the Pope is constantly praying for them, and in turn, he had been asked to tell the Pontiff of the "gratitude for this solidarity" of Iraqi faithful. Arcbishop Filoni also commented that Church assistance last Sunday was "consistent", although many faithful have left the city.

March 10

Pope asks faithful to accompany him with prayer during Spiritual Exercises

Rome, 10 (NE - eclesiales.org) Pope John Paul II begun yesterday a week to be dedicated to his traditional spiritual exercises, asking faithful all over the world to accompany him in prayer. After his brief address to pilgrims gathered at St. Peter's Square for the Angelus prayer, the Pontiff said that "during this week of silence and prayer, I will have present the necessities of the Church and the concerns of all humanity, specially, all that refers to peace in Iraq and Holy Land". This year's meditations, to be held in the "Redemptoris Mater" chapel in the Vatican, will be offered by Archbishop Angelo Comastri of Loreto. The theme of the meditations, which are annually given to the Pope and members of the Roman Curia, is "God is Love. Let's restart from this beautiful news". During this week, the Pope will suspend all audiences, including the weekly general audience held on Wednesdays.

Pope approves request to prepare a compendium of the Catechism

Rome, 10 (NE) Pope John Paul II has approved the preparation of a synthesis of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The announcement was made last week, when a letter of the Pope to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was made public. In his letter, the Holy Father approved a request to prepare a compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and asked Cardinal Ratzinger to set up and chair, in agreement with the Secretariat of State, a Special Commission to prepare this synthesis, and to also establish an editorial committee.

The Letter to the cardinal prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was the result of a request put forth by participants in the October 8-11, 2002 meeting in Rome of an International Catechetical Congress. The meeting had been called to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the December 7, 1992 publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the fifth anniversary of both the promulgation of the Latin edition and the new edition of the General Catechetical Directory.

During this encounter many participants agreed with the proposal to prepare a synthesis or compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, saying that "this new work should contain all and only the essential and basic elements of Catholic faith and morals, formulated in a brief and clear manner, using as its source the Catechism of the Catholic Church."

This proposal was presented to Pope John Paul who, in his February 2 letter, approved the project. The Holy Father, in his letter, remarked that what emerged from the October congress was "the urgency to have available a brief Catechism for all the faithful," adding that it was for this reason he approved the project. He said that the Compendium should become a kind of "'vademecum' that allows people, believers and non-believers, to embrace, in a glance together, the entire panorama of the Catholic faith." He stressed that "before it is approved, the Compendium will be submitted for the evaluation of all the cardinals and the presidents of episcopal conferences."

March 5

Cardinal Laghi to preside Mass for peace in Washington

Washington, 5 (NE) Cardinal Pio Laghi, especial envoy of Pope John Paul II to Washington, will preside today a Mass to pray for peace in the world. The Mass will be held after the Italian Cardinal meets president George Bush. As it was announced, the Cardinal is carrying a message from the Holy Father to President Bush, and will illustrate the position and initiatives undertaken by the Holy See to contribute to disarmament and
peace in the Middle East. The Mass will be held at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. Also attending the Eucharist celebration will be Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Archbishop of Washington.

Pope's book of poems to be presented tomorrow

Rome, 5 (NE) The Italian translation of Pope John Paul II' book of poems, under the title "Roman Triptych", will be presented tomorrow at the Holy See Press Office. According to information given by the press, the book will contain poems written by the Pope last summer during his stay in the Apostolic Palace in Castelgandolfo. During the presentation, some of the poems will be read by the actor Nando Gazzolo, while Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, will present the book and Prof. Giovanni Reale will offer a critique of the text.

Apostolic Nuncio in Spain: "The Pope comes to fortify our spiritual life"

Madrid, 5 (NE) Pope John Paul II will visit Spain and "fortify our spiritual life". With these words the Apostolic Nuncio in Spain, Archbishop Manuel Monteiro de Castro, referred to the pastoral visit that the Holy Father will make to Spain on May this year.

In a recent interview made by the Spanish weekly "Alfa y Omega", the Archbishop also referred to the spiritual situation in Spain, and stressed that the biggest hope is placed "in youth and in the participation of lay people who live intensely the message of the Gospel". He also commented that one of the main problems in today's Spanish society is moral relativism, which "gradually infiltrates in the life of Christians, in their homes and in the Spanish society."

Referring to the apostolic trip that Pope John Paul II will carry out to Spain in the month of May, Archbishop Monteiro de Castro stressed that "the Pope comes to fortify our spiritual life with his presence, with his prayer in communion with us and with his word, that is the word from he to who the Lord Jesus trusted his Church."

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